Hoisting flight director mode

1 . A system comprising:

a hoist;

an imaging sensor configured to capture images of a swinging of a load suspended from the hoist; and

a controller comprising one or more processors configured to execute a set of program instructions stored in a memory, the set of program instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to:

receive the images;

determine positions of the load over time based on the images;

associate each position with a respective time stamp of a respective image to identify a plurality of time stamps associated with the positions;

calculate swing data of the swinging of the load based on the positions, wherein the swing data comprises a pendulum period of the load based on the plurality of time stamps;

calculate a suspension distance corresponding to a length of a cable suspending the load based on the pendulum period;

determine flight control commands based on the swing data; and

direct a flight control system configured to adjust a flight of an aircraft based on the flight control commands.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to utilize a machine learning module to determine the positions.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured determine an estimated swing velocity of the load based on the positions, the plurality of time stamps, and the suspension distance.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the flight control commands are based on the estimated swing velocity.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the estimated swing velocity comprises a lateral swing velocity and a longitudinal swing velocity,

wherein the flight control commands comprise:

target lateral flight control commands based on the lateral swing velocity; and

target longitudinal flight control commands based on the longitudinal swing velocity.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the flight control system is configured to adjust thrust and control surface inputs of the aircraft based on the target lateral flight control commands and the target longitudinal flight control commands.

7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the determining of the flight control commands comprises determining stabilizing target flight control commands to counteract and stabilize the swinging of the load.

8 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the determining of the flight control commands comprises non-zero-velocity target flight control commands configured to cause or maintain a non-zero-relative-velocity of the load relative to the hoist.

9 . A method comprising:

receiving images from an imaging sensor configured to capture images of a swinging of a load suspended from a hoist of an aircraft;

determining positions of the load over time based on the images;

associating each position with a respective time stamp of a respective image to identify a plurality of time stamps associated with the positions;

calculating swing data of the swinging of the load based on the positions, wherein the swing data comprises a pendulum period of the load based on the plurality of time stamps;

calculating a suspension distance corresponding to a length of a cable suspending the load based on the pendulum period;

determining flight control commands based on the swing data; and

directing a flight control system to adjust a flight of an aircraft based on the flight control commands.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the determining of the positions is performed via a machine learning module.

11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising determining an estimated swing velocity of the load based on the positions, the plurality of time stamps, and the suspension distance.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the flight control commands are based on the estimated swing velocity.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the estimated swing velocity comprises a lateral swing velocity and a longitudinal swing velocity,

wherein the flight control commands comprise:

target lateral flight control commands based on the lateral swing velocity; and

target longitudinal flight control commands based on the longitudinal swing velocity.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the flight control system is configured to adjust thrust and control surface inputs of the aircraft based on the target lateral flight control commands and the target longitudinal flight control commands.